The Expatsi Report | Q3 2022
Welcome to the second Expatsi Report! This quarterly report tracks why people want to leave the U.S., what they’re looking for, what they have to spend, and more. See the images above, or download a PDF, below.
The latest report from Expatsi, which surveyed people thinking of leaving the country from July-September, shows that Americans’ money concerns grew significantly since the spring report.
Expatsi, a website that helps Americans who want to emigrate, today released the second issue of The Expatsi Report. The report spans Q3 and analyzes 8,254 responses to the Expatsi Test, a quiz that points users to the best countries for them based on their needs for safety, infrastructure, healthcare, cost of living, human rights, weather, culture, and more.
When asked to select reasons why they want to leave the U.S., saving money rose to the third place spot, with half of Americans saying it was a driver — an 8% increase over the spring report.
In that report, which included people who made their decision to move after SCOTUS’ Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, 53% of respondents said they were looking to leave the U.S. because it’s too conservative. That number dropped to 41% in the current survey. Conversely, the percentage of Americans wanting to leave the country because it’s too liberal rose from 5% to 7%.
“Inflation is clearly affecting Americans who want to leave the country, and they’re seeking options where their retirement accounts or remote work salaries can go further,” said Expatsi co-founder Jen Barnett. “In general, we saw increases among all the financial drivers, including moving for work or education, and decreases among cultural factors, such as moving to gain more freedoms.
“Still, the U.S. being too divided held the second-place spot, and prices will likely decline long before we solve our polarization problems,” said Barnett.
Another indicator was a question where respondents chose between “value” countries where money stretches further and wealthier countries with top-notch healthcare, safety, and infrastructure. In the latest report, 78% opted for value, a 3% jump over Q2.
Despite users’ demand for a lower cost of living, they still overwhelmingly prefer Western Europe, one of the most expensive regions in the world.
Based on answers to the quiz, these were the top-ten most recommended countries:
Respondents came from across the country and found the test by searching Google for terms like “best countries for U.S. expats” and “how to choose what country to move to.”
Expatsi helps U.S. citizens pick a country and plan their escape. The Expatsi Test recommends destinations based on your needs for safety, infrastructure, healthcare, cost of living, human rights, weather, culture, and more. Take the test at expatsi.com.
